A NATSPEC Product Partner contacted us to ask who acts as the building police in Australia?
In other-words they were wanting to know who is responsible for checking and enforcing that the product installed on a building site is compliant with the NCC and conforms to the relevant standards. The Product Partner mentioned that their product was specified in a generic worksection, however, the builder unfortunately substituted their product with an inferior product that did not comply. Product substitution has been a cause for concern on major building projects for some time.
Problem
All manufacturers are acutely aware of the problem of substitution by the contractor. It is being exacerbated by the lure of cheap and sometimes fake imports. Building specifiers are affected as they spend considerable time and effort selecting a product, finish, or electrical/mechanical equipment as part of their design responsibilities. Accurate specifications are critical for positive project outcomes. The documents describing what is to be built must include both drawings and specifications. While some aspects of the specification can be included on the drawings, many cannot. Without a specification a project cannot be adequately described.
Consider this
“The role of the building surveyor is largely misunderstood by the public, not only because of the inconsistencies in the terminology the government uses for licensed / registered / accredited building surveyors who are often referred to as certifiers but because of the vastly differing requirements of the legislation which govern the activities of the building surveyors across eight national jurisdictions”.
“Building surveyors often have a statutory responsibility for ensuring buildings are safe to occupy, energy efficient, accessible and are suitable for occupation. As part of this responsibility, they review, analyse and assess plans for compliance to current standards, conduct inspections, issue relevant legislation permits and approvals and undertake enforcement. The responsibilities of building surveying professionals extend well beyond office based statutory functions. Building surveying is also a ‘hands-on’ role where onsite inspections are carried out at specified intervals during the building process to ensure existing and new buildings are structurally sound, fit for purpose and able to be occupied. Therefore, the competency of the building surveyor is central to safeguarding all sections of the community”. www.aibs.com.au
Solution
As a risk management tool, NATSPEC is a comprehensive specification system that reduces the variations to works and additional costs associated with non-compliance. NATSPEC is the only Australian national building specification that is updated every six months for building professionals.
A specifier’s research prior to the selection of a product or system is filtered to eliminate inappropriate choices. The requirements of the client, regulators, standards, and the designer all affect whether the selection is presented as a generic or a proprietary worksection. Although NATSPEC worksections facilitate the specifying of both types, as a NATSPEC Product Partner you have the opportunity to promote your branded worksection in many ways. At this stage in the design process, you can be a valuable source of information.
Your branded worksection has been written in line with the latest Australian Standards and NATSPEC includes a product specifying and substitution clause in your branded worksection to assist in reducing the possibility of product substitution. Your branded worksection is an important tool for the designer to have as it will save the designer time and reduce risk of future re-work. However, to maintain the contractor’s contractual responsibility regarding supply, the NATSPEC 0171 General requirements worksection allows for substitution, with restrictions. It is in the interests of both the Product Partner and the specifier to retain and enforce the “substitution clause” in your branded worksection. The 0171 General requirements worksection includes optional text which, if included, allocates the cost of evaluating the proposed substitution to the contractor.
The following organisations can be contacted for guidance: